Detachable mounting of dispenser machine

ABSTRACT

An adjustable plate for varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper of a machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser or other granular material, is supported in an aperture in a second plate, which clips onto a seat for the hopper, by means of a forked arm pivotally mounted on the second plate for movement about a vertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and coacts with a pin on the latter to retain the plate in one of its positions of adjustment, and an open position in which the arm is swung clear of the adjustable plate.

United States Patent [191 Teagle Dec. 25, 1973 [54] DETACHABLE MOUNTINGOF Primary Examiner-Samuel F. Coleman DISPENSER MACHINE PARTSAttorney-Norris & Bateman [76] Inventor: William Thomas Teagle,Blackwater, TI'Ul'O, England [22] Filed: May 4, 1971 Appl. No.: 140,037

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 7/1879 Weaver 222/557 X l0/l918Shaw 222/557 X An adjustable plate for varying the size of the dischargeaperture at the bottom of the hopper of a machine for broadcasting seed,fertiliser or other granular material, is supported in an aperture in asecond plate, which clips onto a seat for the hopper, by means of aforked arm pivotally mounted on the second plate for movement about avertical axis between a closed position in which the lower fork of thearm engages the underside of the adjustable plate and coacts with a pinon the latter to retain the plate in one of its positions of adjustment,and an open position in which the arm is swung clear of the adjustableplate.

8 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PATENTEU DEC 2 5 I975 SHEET 101- 2 INVENTORWILLIAM THOMAS TEAGLE ATTO RNEYS PATENTEDBE025 I975 3.780.915 SHEET 2[IF 2 INVENTOR WILLIAM THOMAS TEAGLE zav} 1 W1 ATTORNEYS 1 DETACHABLEMOUNTING OF DISPENSER MACH NEJLABT This invention relates to means forcontrolling the discharge of material from a hopper or other storagecontainer, comprising an adjustable plate for varying the size of thedischarge aperture at the bottom'of the hopper and'its object is tofacilitate easy removal of the plate for maintenance or cleaning withoutthe use of tools.

To this end, according to the invention, there is provided a forked armpivotally mounted atone end for movement about a substantially verticalaxis between a closed position in which the lower fork of the armengages the underside of the adjustable plate and an open position, inwhich the arm isclear of the adjustable plate. 1

The invention is particularly applicable to machines for broadcastingseed, fertiliser and other granular material discharged from the outletatthe bottom of a hopper through an adjustable aperture in a plateextending across the bottom of a hopper, onto a distributor whichrotates about a substantially vertical axis to eject the material on tothe ground by means of centrifugal force and a preferred embodiment ofthe invention will be described, by way of example, with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a part sectional side elevation of such a broadcasting machinewith a part of the hopper and its mounting broken away;

FlG.-2 is a plan view of the machine shown in FIG. 1 with the hopperremoved; and

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of tbe forked arm showing its attachment toa part of the machine.

Referring to the drawings, an annular plate 1 is carried by transversemembers 2 and inclined members 3 of a supporting frame which alsoincludes twin upright members 4 provided with pins 5 passing throughplates 6 and adapted to be secured to the arms (not shown) of a tractorhydraulic lift by nuts 7 and washers 8. Alternatively the members 4 maybe secured to a trailer (not shown) to be towed by a tractor. The plate1 forms a seat for the open base of a hopper 9 and is provided with anupstanding flange l'0'to surround the hopper base and a'circular opening11 adapted to register with the base opening of the hopper. The upperends of the upright. members 4 are secured to cross-pieces 12 which areconnected together at one end by an angle- .section bar 13 and at theother end by a rail 14 shaped to conform to the external contour of thehopper 9 and secured to the cross-pieces by bolts 15 which pass withconsiderable clearance through apertures.(not shown) in the cross-piecesto enable the rail to be slackened for removal of the hopper. As anadded precaution against accidental displacement of the hopper 9 due tosudden jolts, additional securing means may be provided in the form ofbolts 16 which hook over the rim of the hopper and pass through the rail14 to which they can be secured by wing nuts 17 acting through springs18 on washers 19. A rotary distributor 20 is mounted on a shaft 21 whichpasses through a sleeve 22 carried by transverse frame members 23,extends into tbe hopper where it carries agitators 29 and 30 and isdriven from the power take-off shaft 24 of the tractor through universaljoints 25,26 and bevel gears 27 and 28.

A plate 31, clipped'to the underside of the plate 1 by hooks or lugs 52,has a central aperture 316 for the passage of the shaft 21 and arectangular aperture 31a extending from a fixed cross bar 31 at one sideof the shaft 21 to a point (not shown) adjacent one edge of the plate 31to accommodate a panel 32 slidable radially of the distributor 20 onpins 33 secured to the underside of the plate 31. The panel 32 isapertured to receive one end of a rod 34 secured at its other end to apin 35 rotatably mounted in arms 36 on the plate 31 and secured to alever 37 having a hand-grip 38 and connected to the plate 31 by a spring39. The panel 32 can be drawn back by the lever 37 to leave an elongateddischarge aperture in the form of a slot 40 between the inner edge 41 ofthe panel and the adjacent inner edge 42 of the rectangular aperture inplate 31, which slot 40 is offset from tbe axis of the distributor 20and extends across a sector of the circle described by the rotatingdistributor so that material falling through the slot 40 onto thedistributor is ejected thereby in the form of an arc the rate orintensity of distribution of which can be varied by inward or outwardadjustment of the panel 32. I

. The spread or length of the arc of distribution is varied by alteringthe length ofthe slot 40 and this is achieved by an angularly adjustablemasking plate 43 of circular form with a part of its periphery cut away.The plate 43 is apertured to fit freely round the shaft 21 and issupported in its rotatably adjusted position by an arm 44 pivotallymounted at 45 on the plate 31 for movement about a substantiallyvertical axis and provided with a forked portion the lower limb 46 ofwhich, in the closed position of the arm, engages beneath the maskingplate and the upper limb 47 of which engages over the plate 1. Anadjusted position of plate 43 is shown in dot-dash lines in FIG. 2. Thelower limb 46 carries a plate 48 formed with slots 49 which are adaptedto selectively receive a locating pin 50 on the underside of the maskingplate dependent upon the position of adjustment of the latter and thearm 44 is adapted to be held in its closed position by a spring 51, oneend of which is adapted to be detachably secured to the outer end of thearm and the other end of which is anchored to the plate 31.

To remove the plate 31 for cleaning or maintenance purposes, it is onlynecessary to unhook the spring 51, swing the arm 44 out of engagementwith the undersideof the plate 43, disengage the lugs or hooks 52 andremove the plate from the machine.

l claim:

1. Means for controlling the discharge of material from a hopper orother storage container, comprising an adjustable plate for varying thesize of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means fordetachably mounting said plate beneath said discharge aperture, saidmeans comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movementabout a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in whichthe lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plateand an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.

2. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the lower fork of saidarm is formed with slots for selective engagement with a pin on theunderside of said adjustable plate to locate said plate in one of itspositions of adjustment.

3. Control means according to claim 1, wherein said arm is pivotallymounted on a second plate extending across the bottom of said hopper andapertured to receive said adjustable plate.

4. Control means according to claim 3, wherein said second plate isprovided with an anchorage for one end of a coil spring the other end ofwhich is adapted to engage over the free end of said forked arm when thelatter is in its closed position.

5. Control means according to claim 3, wherein said second plate isinterposed between the underside of an annular seat for the bottom ofthe hopper and a distributor rotatable about a substantially verticalaxis to eject material received thereby from the hopper, by means ofcentrifugal force.

6. Control means according to claim 5, wherein said second platesupports a panel slidable relative thereto radially of said distributorto define a variable width discharge slot which is offset from the axisof, and extends across a sector of the circle described by, saiddistributor, and said adjustable plate is movable about its axisrelative to said second plate to vary the length of said discharge slot.

7. Control means according to claim 5, wherein said second plate isprovided with supporting means which engage over that part of saidannular seat remote from said forked arm.

8. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser and other granularmaterial, comprising a hopper for said material, a discharge aperture atthe bottom of the hopper, a rotary distributor mounted beneath saiddischarge aperture to receive material therefrom and eject it onto theground by centrifugal force, an adjustable plate for varying the size ofthe discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means fordetachably mounting said plate beneath said discharbe aperture. saidmeans comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movementabout a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in whichthe lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plateand an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.

1. Means for controlling the discharge of material from a hopper orother storage container, comprising an adjustable plate for varying thesize of the discharge aperture at the bottom of the hopper and means fordetachably mounting said plate beneath said discharge aperture, saidmeans comprising a forked arm pivotally mounted at one end for movementabout a substantially vertical axis between a closed position in whichthe lower fork of the arm engages the underside of the adjustable plateand an open position in which the arm is clear of the adjustable plate.2. Control means according to claim 1, wherein the lower fork of saidarm is formed with slots for selective engagement with a pin on theunderside of said adjustable plate to locate said plate in one of itspositions of adjustment.
 3. Control means according to claim 1, whereinsaid arm is pivotally mounted on a second plate extending across thebottom of said hopper and apertured to receive said adjustable plate. 4.Control means according to claim 3, wherein said second plate isprovided with an anchorage for one end of a coil spring the other end ofwhich is adapted to engage over the free end of said forked arm when thelatter is iN its closed position.
 5. Control means according to claim 3,wherein said second plate is interposed between the underside of anannular seat for the bottom of the hopper and a distributor rotatableabout a substantially vertical axis to eject material received therebyfrom the hopper, by means of centrifugal force.
 6. Control meansaccording to claim 5, wherein said second plate supports a panelslidable relative thereto radially of said distributor to define avariable width discharge slot which is offset from the axis of, andextends across a sector of the circle described by, said distributor,and said adjustable plate is movable about its axis relative to saidsecond plate to vary the length of said discharge slot.
 7. Control meansaccording to claim 5, wherein said second plate is provided withsupporting means which engage over that part of said annular seat remotefrom said forked arm.
 8. A machine for broadcasting seed, fertiliser andother granular material, comprising a hopper for said material, adischarge aperture at the bottom of the hopper, a rotary distributormounted beneath said discharge aperture to receive material therefromand eject it onto the ground by centrifugal force, an adjustable platefor varying the size of the discharge aperture at the bottom of thehopper and means for detachably mounting said plate beneath saiddischarbe aperture, said means comprising a forked arm pivotally mountedat one end for movement about a substantially vertical axis between aclosed position in which the lower fork of the arm engages the undersideof the adjustable plate and an open position in which the arm is clearof the adjustable plate.